Keeping it alive: How Chinese opera in Singapore is adapting to the age of TikTok

Justice Bao warning about scams is just one costume change for an ancient art form drawing new audiences.

- Chin Soo Fang

The clang of cymbals signalled the start of a "wayang" or Chinese street opera show. As the characters with painted faces and elaborate costumes took to the makeshift stage, members of the audience – often entire families from the neighbourhood – settled in their plastic chairs, rattan fans in hand, to enjoy an evening's entertainment under the stars. Nearby, hawkers on pushcarts enjoyed brisk business peddling snacks like satay or muah chee.

This common scene in the 60s and 70s has faded into our collective memory today.

While street operas are few and far between now, it would be wrong to say this venerable art form is "dying", soon to become sepia-toned relics from the past. Instead, Chinese opera, in all its vivid colours, is evolving and making its presence felt on multiple platforms – theatres, schools, community clubs, malls and online. There is opera-inspired merch and even anti-scam messaging as local opera troupes innovate and modernise their offerings to attract new audiences, backed by a chorus of supporters like National Arts Council (NAC) and Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC).

It helps that there is now greater public awareness about Singapore's intangible cultural heritage and the importance of supporting practitioners such as opera troupes, said SCCC's chief executive officer Alvin Tan.

"Singaporeans are also picking up on the growing global interest in Chinese culture fuelled by the success of China's cultural exports, including historical TV dramas and games," he added.

Ms Serene Lim, NAC's director (performing arts) of the arts ecosystem group, attributed some of the renewed interest in Chinese opera to a growing appreciation of dialect heritage, and nostalgia across all generations.

"At the same time, younger audiences are increasingly drawn to its visual spectacle and rich storytelling," she told The Straits Times.